Jaipur: Rajasthan’s transport department has sanctioned the issuance of e-challans via SMS, WhatsApp, and email to traffic violators through a notification issued on Oct 24. For this, the department has set a deadline for vehicle owners to update their mobile numbers on the govt’s Vahan portal by Nov 24. Post-deadline, e-challans will be considered served once sent to the registered mobile numbers. This initiative follows the July launch of an e-detection system at toll plazas, aimed at enhancing road safety by automatically identifying vehicles lacking valid documents. The department emphasises the urgency of updating contact details to facilitate this digital transition, adding that after one month, challans will be served on mobile numbers registered on the portal, and “it shall be deemed to have served on the vehicle owner.”“…the state govt, with immediate effect, hereby authorises Short Messaging Services (SMS), WhatsApp, and e-mail as electronic means of communication to serve the challan… All vehicle owners shall update their mobile number and e-mail address on Vahan Portal within a period of one month from the date of publication of this notification,” the notification said.In July, the transport department launched an e-detection application for the department, which helps in automatic monitoring of vehicles passing through the toll plazas as the information of vehicles passing through the toll is uploaded on the department’s portal. Over 145 toll plazas of NHAI and 13 toll plazas of MoRTH have been onboarded for the e-detection system. Any vehicle that does not have valid documents is issued a challan as soon as the vehicle number is scanned at the toll plaza.“The e-detection system has been started to enhance road safety as vehicles driving rashly or without valid documents can be caught. But many vehicle owners do not have their numbers registered. Due to this, one month’s time is being given to all vehicle owners,” said a senior official from the transport department.Officials added that this decision was taken as a move towards adding digital facilities within the department.
